VIDEO: Dr. Joseph Jarvis discusses health system reform at the 2010 Arizona Rural Health Conference >
On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed historic health care reform legislation that provides for insurance market reforms, public health provisions, and workforce investment. An individual mandate requires that all individuals have coverage by 2014 or pay a penalty. Employers will also be required to offer coverage or pay a penalty. Individuals will be able to purchase insurance coverage through the state-based health insurance exchanges. The reform provisions will go into effect incrementally between now and 2014.
How are rural Arizonans affected?
- Increases coverage for uninsured rural Arizonans and eliminates discriminatory insurance practices.
- Reauthorizes and amends the Indian Health Care Improvement Act.
- Increased funding to Community Health Centers to double patients over 5 years.
- Provides for a 10 percent incentive payment for primary care doctors practicing in underserved areas to build workforce.
- Provides $1.5 billion to expand the National Health Service Corps and supports training for rural primary care providers.
- Amends the Medicare reimbursement formula so rural doctors receive comparable pay to urban doctors.
- Provides improved Medicare reimbursement for rural hospitals.
Where can I learn more?
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: A Summary of Provisions Important to Rural Health Care Delivery, The Rural Policy Research Center, University of Iowa College of Public Health, June 2010
View PDF >
Kaiser Family Foundation
www.kff.org/healthreform/
Rural Assistance Center
www.raconline.org/info_guides/hot_topics/health_reform/
The White House Health Care Website
http://www.healthcare.gov/